VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Thursday called on State governments to scale up efforts to fully leverage opportunities in the AYUSH sector, which includes Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy.
Speaking at a roundtable organised by the Ministry of AYUSH in Lonavala, the Minister stressed the growing demand for traditional healthcare systems, underscoring the sector’s expansion since 2014.
Satya Kumar Yadav credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for mainstreaming traditional Indian medicine. He proposed integrating AYUSH with allopathic medicine through hybrid hospitals to enhance healthcare delivery.
Focusing on AP, he criticised the previous YSRCP administration for neglecting the AYUSH sector. He revealed that due to administrative apathy, the State received only Rs 37 crore in Central funding during that period. Of this, minimal funds were spent in the first two years, with zero expenditure in the last three, resulting in acute staff shortage and unfilled posts.
In contrast, the Minister highlighted the progress made under the coalition government, which secured Rs 87 crore Central assistance for AYUSH in 2024–25.
A fresh proposal for Rs 150 crore has also been submitted for the 2025–26 annual plan. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding AYUSH services, filling vacancies, and improving public access to traditional healthcare.
Furthermore, Satya Kumar Yadav also outlined plans to boost medical tourism in Andhra Pradesh by promoting integrated hospitals, drawing lessons from Kerala’s successful model.